Patents Examined by Naoko Slack
  • Patent number: 7178298
    Abstract: A building construction system and method which includes an attachment or fastener device and a tool element for applying the device to a lower reinforcing rod. The reinforcing rod is part of a building section which includes a wood or lumber section and a lower concrete layer. The attachment device is utilized to securely retain a lumber section to a lower concrete area. The overall design is such that construction and labor time is significantly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Inventor: Albert Ebeling, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7178302
    Abstract: A multi-layer vacuum assembly-enabled fundamental building material to strengthen the safety of a building structure includes a main body which has a plurality of vacuumized layers formed from the exterior towards the interior that are divided by a plurality of spacers. The shape of the main body may be designed according to requirements of the building structure. The main body further has a first latch section and a second latch section located on the outer side thereof. The vacuumized layers can cushion damage resulting from impact of external forces. It also can block thermal conduction, thereby achieve shock resistant, fire resistant, heat and cold isolation effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Han Star Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Arthur Chu
  • Patent number: 7174686
    Abstract: A bracket for use in retrofitting building panels to a structure is provided with forward, rearward and top walls which define a channel therebetween. The channel is sized and shaped to substantially enclose existing fasteners on the structure to substantially prevent lateral movement of the bracket along the existing building panels. The lower end portion of the bracket is shaped to marry the profile of the existing building panels. A single series of fasteners secure the new building panel to the bracket, the existing building panel and preferably the frame of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Inventor: Arnold G. Legband
  • Patent number: 7174688
    Abstract: A filter assembly is provided that has a filtering screen and a skeletal structure, the skeletal structure being attached to the filtering screen. At least one of the filtering screen and the skeletal structure form a plurality of downward extending channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Inventor: Edward A. Higginbotham
  • Patent number: 7174691
    Abstract: This invention is related to the construction industry. More specifically, it is related to a metal profile for the construction of support frames for doors and windows and providing a finished look to such doors and windows with an elegant touch. The advantages of this invention are that it allows for the work of preparing, leveling and installing support frames for doors and windows without affecting the finished look of the planes that include the fenestration, eliminating possible damages to the finish of the planes that include the fenestration. In case of maintenance or repair work, it is easily disassembled in a partial manner and reassembled in the same way, as well as to easily attach to it certain accessories that will make it versatile for its use on the fenestrations of doors, windows, and mid-height division walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Inventor: David Antonio de Garay Arellano
  • Patent number: 7174684
    Abstract: A corrosion-resistant tension member, particularly a tendon for prestressed concrete, comprising a bundle of tension elements arranged inside a sheathing, has at its ends anchoring devices each with an anchor plate. On the side of the anchor plate facing away from the open air side, a seal having tension elements running through it and having a sealing plate are arranged, the sealing plate being fixed in place on the side facing away from the anchor plate opposite the anchor body against longitudinal displacement. Between the anchor plate and a pressure plate butting against the sealing plate, pressure-transferring means, for example, a pressure tube, are provided, having a length calculated in such a way that a longitudinal displacement of the anchor plate that occurs when the tension elements are being tensioned, actuates the exertion of surface pressure to the sealing plate for activating the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Dywidag-Systems International GmbH
    Inventors: Oswald Nuetzel, Egbert Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 7171794
    Abstract: A peripherally encapsulated product, such as an oven door outer shell, is molded in accordance with this invention by placing a piece of glass between mold clamping portions of relatively movable closed bodies when the latter are in an open position. Preferably both bodies are heated and thermosetting polymeric material (SMC or BMC) is placed upon selected areas of one of the mold bodies within and about an area corresponding to an annular mold cavity and outboard of a peripheral edge of a piece of glass. The glass is clamped between mold clamping portions of the mold bodies which are then progressively closed creating compression forces which extrude the thermosetting polymeric material into the annular cavity and into complete encapsulation of the continuous peripheral edge of the piece of glass. The handle can be integrally molded during the molding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Gemtron Corporation
    Inventors: Craig Bienick, Bob Herrmann, Howard Daley
  • Patent number: 7171788
    Abstract: A connecting device for joining a wall to a building frame, or for joining walls, comprises a hook member. The frame can comprise steel beams, or also comprise a truss having an open web, and a slide rail attached to the truss' chords in a generally plumb orientation. Embodiments of the hook member substantially encircle one or more slide rails and thereby retain the rails. Other embodiments fit within a channel attached to solid steel webs, or concrete frames. The device's other end is positioned over a course of masonry units, and when embedded in mortar, the cells of the masonry units do not require grouting. Other connecting device embodiments comprise an anchor member securely joined to the member, the connecting device providing multiple points of attachment with the masonry, or multiple members joined to the anchor member. The connecting device can be used for new construction, and in renovations using currently existing steel and concrete frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Inventor: Joseph Bronner
  • Patent number: 7171792
    Abstract: The present invention is a truss system constructed of rigid members and cables. In a preferred embodiment, the rigid members are used drill piping. Two inclined upper members are joined together at an angle to form a truss peak junction. A vertical member connects to and supports the lower end of each inclined upper member. The bottom of each vertical member sits in a collar attached to the top of a foundation member located in the ground. A tensioning member is perpendicularly attached to each inclined upper member near the midpoint of the inclined member. For each inclined upper member, a cable attaches to the inclined upper member near the truss peak, runs through a penetration in the tensioning member, and attaches to the lower end of the inclined member. Finally, a cable with first and second ends has its first and second ends secured so as to apply tension that opposes spreading of the lower ends of the inclined upper members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Inventors: Ethan L. Windahl, Barry W. Santana
  • Patent number: 7171784
    Abstract: A tilt-latch (10) for a sash window (12) disposed within opposed guide rails (16) on a master frame (14) is provided. The sash window (12) comprises a top rail (18), a base (22) and two stiles (24, 26) connected together at their extremities. The tilt-latch (10) is adapted for releaseably securing the sash window (12) to the master frame (14). The tilt-latch (10) includes a housing (30) adapted to be supported by the top rail (18), the housing (30) having an outward end opening (54). The tilt-latch (10) further includes a latch bolt (32) disposed within the housing (30) and having a nose (56) adapted for engaging a respective one of the guide rails (16). The latch bolt (32) has structure wherein the latch bolt (32) is capable of being operably positioned in the housing (30) in one of a first position for a right-hand tilt-latch (10) and second position for a left-hand tilt-latch (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Newell Operating Company
    Inventor: Mark B. Eenigenburg
  • Patent number: 7171789
    Abstract: A shear wall construction and method for assembling the same is disclosed. A plywood sheet includes close laterally-spaced pairs of vertical studs or posts proximate each lateral end. A channel-defining member is fitted and fixed between the spaced studs. A tie member extends from the channel-defining member into a concrete foundation or other underlying building element. A track is also provided for sheathing a lower edge of the shear wall. Protrusions from the metal track aid in anchoring the shear wall to the concrete foundation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Zone Four, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Donald Lucey, Ronald F. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7168209
    Abstract: A coping system includes a cleat mountable on a wall, a splice plate mountable over the cleat and a coping cap mountable to the cleat that is held in place by a spring between the cleat and the coping cap. In general, both the cleat and the coping cap have approximately U-shape cross-sections. The ends of the coping cap turn inwardly to form hooks that catch the ends of the cleat. The spring urges the coping cap to retain the legs of the cleat in the hooks and thus hold the coping cap to the cleat and to the wall. The splice plate is held in place on the cleat by clips that extend from the cleat and through corresponding openings in the splice plate to engage portions of the splice plate adjacent the openings, thereby preventing the splice plate from moving away from the cleat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: W.P. Hickman Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles W. Heidler, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7168214
    Abstract: The joining device serves for connecting two adjacent individual elements (5, 11) of a sheet pile retaining wall which are to be pile-driven in each case, e.g. for connecting two adjacent pipes of a sheet piling. The first joining element comprises a button strip (9) which is received in a hollow space (15) between two hook strips (14) of a second joining element (2). In order to be able to better absorb tensile forces occurring during driving, the first joining element (2) comprises holding portions, e.g. holding strips (16) which at least partly encompass the hook strips (14) of the second joining element (3) and thus prevent a widening of the hook strips during driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Inventor: Georg Wall
  • Patent number: 7168221
    Abstract: A crush resistant seamless roofing system is formed by a layer of adjacent panels having loose joints filled by expanding rising foam adhesive, which is trimmed to remove excess foam adhesive above a top plane of the roofing system. The roofing system thus formed is covered by a fabric layer and a coating. Further, the seamless roofing system is combined with a base layer, located beneath the panels, the base layer comprising bonded panels of a lightweight fireproofing material, resistant to moisture and foot traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Inventor: John P. Hunter, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7168220
    Abstract: A post cladding element is provided including a one-piece elongated tubular flexible body having a continuous seam closure formed along the body and defined at first and second opposing longitudinal edges of the flexible body, whereby a post may be clad by flexing the body to open the seam closure a sufficient width to dispose the flexible body around the post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Certainteed Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony L. Owoc, Christopher Bourque, Alexander H. Plache, Stephen W. Steffes
  • Patent number: 7165367
    Abstract: The invention relates to a composite profile and to a method for the producing a composite profile. The profile is configured as an assembly with at least one metal profile and at least one insulating profile, wherein a tolerance-compensating gap is located between a metal profile and an insulating profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Schüco International KG
    Inventor: Siegfried Habicht
  • Patent number: 7165365
    Abstract: A satellite ready building comprises a plurality of studs and satellite wires positioned adjacent to the studs having a first termination and a second termination. A connector is coupled to the second termination of the wires. The first termination is coupled through the roof or the siding of the building. Drywall is installed in the house after the wires are installed. The first termination may be installed in a radome positioned on the roof of the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur W. Wang
  • Patent number: 7165364
    Abstract: A window sleeve arrangement for positioning a window unit in an opening through an enclosure wall has an interior surface for receiving the window unit and an outside surface for sliding into the opening through the enclosure wall. A first exterior flange engages the exterior surface of the enclosure wall, while a second exterior flange, spaced from the first exterior flange provides a gap for receiving sheathing on the outside of the building. Disposed within the window sleeve arrangement is an interior inwardly projecting flange which serves as a window stop to position the window adjacent the exterior wall of the building enclosure. The window unit is held within the window sleeve by a snap-in-place molding which engages the window unit. Optionally, interior decorative molding is coupled to the sleeve to cover a portion of the interior wall adjacent to the window sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Inventor: John D. Inelli
  • Patent number: 7165362
    Abstract: A monolithic glass member for supporting loads is disclosed. The glass member includes a plurality of glass sheets that are laminated together with one or more bonding layers. One of the glass sheets has a cut out at an edge thereof to receive a connector. The connector provides a means for connecting and supporting the glass member relative to other structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Jobs, Karl Backus, Rosa Sheng, Ben McDonald, Michael Waltner, Colleen Caulliez, James O'Callaghan, Graham Coult, Damian Rogan, Scott Nelson
  • Patent number: 7165366
    Abstract: A device for aligning conduit. The device is positioned within a corrugated deck layer configured under a roof structure wherein the device comprises a box having a top, a front, a back and opposing sidewalls. The top includes bevel portions downwardly extending from the top to the sidewalls while the sidewalls vertically extend from the bevel portions to be positioned perpendicular with the top. The bevel portions are sized and shaped to nest within the corrugated deck layer. A pair of flanges is disposed in a common plane relative to one another and at right angles to the sidewalls below the bevel portions to extend outwardly from the bevel portions and the sidewalls wherein the flanges are sized and shaped to fasten the box to the corrugated deck layer. The invention further comprises a method of installing conduit free of offsets into the box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Inventor: Greg M. Anliker